Seek him that maketh
the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the
morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters
of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD
is his name:

The passage of scripture selected for our daily devotional
today, was written by a farmer, who was a man named Amos, who God called
to be a Prophet. God called him from where he lived, in Tekoa near
Bethlehem in Judea, to be the one to give the message to Israel.

Remember, this was the time when the Jewish people were divided into two
nations, ten tribes in the north - Israel, and two tribes in the south -
Judah. God takes a "southern boy" to speak to the northerners.

The message in our passage for today is one of judgment to come and the
Lord's plea for Israel, i.e. both groups of Jews, to "seek the Lord".
The Lord gives his people information on the coming judgment in the days
of Amos, but also these prophetic warnings are appropriate for today,
and especially for today.

Amos is describing the "day of the Lord", verse 18,
and telling the Jews that will be a day of great judgment. Remember,
the "day of the Lord" is that period of time after the Rapture of the
Church and includes the seven years leading up to the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ. That "day" will be a dark day, verse 18, and no matter where the Jews turn in that day, they will be met by judgment.

Noticeverse 19.
They flee from a lion only to be met by a bear and even as they rush
into the house for protection and rest, as they lean against the wall a
serpent bites them. The coming Tribulation period, the "time of Jacob's
trouble" will be a terrible time of darkness and judgment,verse 20.

However, the loving God reaches out to the Jews today and during that
terrible time ahead, He reaches out to His people. He says, "seek the
Lord",verse 6; "seek Him",verse 8; "seek good" (God) and "live",verse 14. Notice our key verse,verse 8, where we see the Creator, the Lord Himself, telling the Jewish people to "seek Him".

I love this verse. He says, I created the stars and even named them all.
Then He says, I control the oceans upon the face of the earth, I am the
One you must seek. He is the only One who can bring His people through
the "day of the Lord".

The record of the Lord's lamentation over Israel written by Amos some
2,700 years ago is applicable for today. Jews and Gentiles, all peoples
that are not saved, must seek the Lord as He reaches out to them. That
day of darkness, the "day of the Lord" is quickly approaching.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Dear
Lord, as I see that day of judgment quickly approaching, please raise
me up, as You did Amos from his farm work, to warn lost people before it
is eternally too late.